


15_minute_fic: Word #212: "Bruised But Not Shaken"

by koalathebear



Category: Terra Nova (TV)
Genre: Community: 15_minute_fic, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-15
Updated: 2012-01-15
Packaged: 2017-10-29 14:19:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/320826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koalathebear/pseuds/koalathebear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mark's injured. Maddy's sympathetic - Jim's not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	15_minute_fic: Word #212: "Bruised But Not Shaken"

"God, what happened to you?" Maddy demanded as she opened the door to see what appeared to be a stranger on her door step. "You look like a **panda**!" She stared at Mark's face which was a battered mess – two black eyes and a purple bruise flowering on his jaw.

"Called in to break up a fight at Boylan's last night. I've got a hard head but the stool the guy hit me with was harder."

"Have you gone to the infirmary yet?"

"Of course – Wash sent us there as soon as we'd put the trouble-makers in the brig to sleep it off. They were fighting over a woman – who didn't want anything to do with either of them."

"Do you get a few days off?" Maddy wanted to know. "Surely you can't see with your eyes like that," she said staring at the puffiness of his face with concern.

"Just a day or two. The doctor gave me a shot and said that it should get better pretty quickly."

"So you're also doped up," Maddy said.

"Can I come in now?" Mark complained.

"Oh yes, of course – sorry," she said apologetically and ushered him into the house, closing the door behind him.

Jim Shannon looked up from the report he was typing and stared. "I swear that wasn't me who did it, Maddy," he assured her.

"Not funny dad," she told him irritably.

Shannon raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me – it was the bust-up I heard about at Boylan's?"

"Yes, sir," Mark told him.

"I heard that those idiots Donalds and Retner look even worse."

"Is that even possible?" Maddy asked and Mark sighed. "Anyway, you should sit down," she told him, indicating her room.

"Door stays open!" Jim called without looking up from his report. "Although admittedly, he doesn't look as though he's in much condition to do much right now except ache."

"Thanks Mr Shannon, I appreciate your concern," Mark muttered in a low voice and Maddy grimaced.

"He does like you – it's just his way," she tried to explain. "Sit down – or lie down if that helps," she told him, guiding him to the bed and pulling up a seat next to him. "Do you want an ice pack or something? You really should be in bed rather than visiting me, you know."

He grinned and then winced when the action made his face hurt. "Can't blame me for wanting to see you ... even if I can barely see right now," he mumbled gloomily. "At least I didn't lose any teeth and the doctor said that there's no permanent damage."

"No brain there to damage?" Jim called from the lounge.

"Dad – stop listening in!" Maddy retorted. "Just ignore him. He thinks he's funny." She looked back at Mark.

"I'll bet you've never even seen a real panda," Mark commented.

"I've seen pictures. Look you shouldn't talk – it probably hurts. I'll read to you instead – it will help me study for my test at the same time."

He lay back and closed his eyes, listening to her voice as she read to him from some science textbook, pausing every now and then to repeat something to herself to try to memorise it. He drifted off to sleep despite himself.

When he finally woke up, he blinked blearily into Maddy's smiling face as she stared down at him from where she was still seated beside the bed. Somehow, despite the throbbing in his head, there was nowhere else in the Universe he'd rather be.

**end**


End file.
